Feed control device for cotton cleaning and extracting machines



Feb. 1I, 1941. Q MITCHELL 2,231,280

FEED CONTROL DEVICE FOR COTTON CLEANING AND EXTRACTING MACHINES FiledNOV. l5, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet l Feb 1l, 1941. o, MlTCHELL 2,231,280

FEED CONTROL DEVICE FCR COTTON CLEANING AND EXTRACTINC MACHINES FiledNov. 13, 19.59 5 Sheets -SheerI 2 IIIIJ/ irren/EK Feb. 11, 1941. o.M|TcHELL A FEED CONTROL DEVICE FGR COTTON CLEANING AND EXTRACTINGMACHINES Filed Nov. 13, V1.939 3 Sheets-Sheet. 3

Patented Feb. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcr.

FEED CONTROL DEVICEA FOR COTTON CLEANING AND EXTRACTING'MACHIN E S`Claims.

The general object of this invention is to provide a novel feed controldevice for cotton cleaning and hull extracting machines which willenable a larger variety of speeds to be imparted to 5 the feedrollersthan would be feasible with the types of mechanics now employedfor that purpose. In other words, in order to secure the number ofchanges in speed made possible by the presentinvention, by using thetypes of mechanm nism now employed, which usually comprise a belt driveinvolving pulleys oi different sizes, such a large number of suchpulleys would have to be employed as to be utterly impracticable.

In cotton cleaning and hull extracting machines there are two feederrollers which serve the `purpose, of withdrawing the cotton from ahopper above and feeding it at a desired rate of speed, varying from V8R. P. M. minimum to 3 R. P. M. maximum, to the extracting and cleaningmechanism below.

The rate of feed must be varied to suit the capacity of the gin-stand onwhich the extractorcleaner is mounted, some types of gin-stands havingmore capacity than others. Also, the

rate of feed must be varied to suit the type and condition of thecotton. Certain breeds of cotton should be ginned more slowly thanothers, and the feed of the extractor-cleaner has to be reducedaccordingly. Green or damp cotton must be fed much more slowly than drycotton. Long-staple cotton must be fed more slowly than short-staple.Cotton containing a large percentage of hulls and other trash has to befed into the extractor-cleaner at a much higher rate of speed thanclean, hand-picked cotton, for the reason that so large a percentage ofthe incoming material is waste, destined for the hull pile, and does notgo into the gin-stand at all.

\ These variations intype, condition, or trash content often vary fromone wagonload to the next, requiring frequent changes in the rate atwhich the feeder rollers rotate. Therefore, a mechanism to control therate at which the cotton is fed-that is, the rate at which the feederrollers rotate-in order to be efficient must be capable of quick andaccurate change through a range of speed variations extending from V8 R.P. M. minimum through several intermediate l steps to 3 R. P. M.maximum. 60A A second important requirement of the feed control deviceis the ability to shut off the feed altogether, at the will of theoperator. Between bales, the feed is always stopped; the purpose of thisis to get all of the cotton from one wagona load out of the machinerybefore the cottonv from the next wagonload enters the machinery. Also,

it is frequently necessary to stop the feed on one extractoncleaner inorder to throw that particular machine or the gin under it temporarilyout of operation, for the purpose of making repairs 5 or removingextraneous matter that has been sucked up with the cotton, or forunchoking a congestion of some kind.

My improved control device accomplishes both of the desired results in ahighly satisfactory l0 manner .and is greatly superior to either of thetwo systems generally used in the past. 'I'hese two systems are theratchet and 'pawl arrangement shown by Patent No. 1,360,132, and thecone-pulley-geared arrangement, shown by Pat- 15 closes, causing theV-belt to run deeper or shal- 25' lower in the groove, thereby changingthe effective diameter and, as a consequence, changing the rate of speedat which the driven pulley causes the feeder roller to operate.

It will be readily seen that an infinite number 30 of gradations inspeed between the minimum and maximum can be obtained. However, inactual practice we find that eight or nine speeds answer all practicalrequirements, and no good purpose would be subserved in providing moregrad- 35 ations than that number.

To throw the feed on or oif, I employ a clutch which operates on themechanism that transmits the power from the receiving pulley to thefeeder rollers. When the clutch throws the transmit- 40 ting mechanismout, the feeder rollers stop; when the clutch throws the transmittingmechanism into operation, the feeder rollers resume their rotation atwhatever speed the expansible pulley is set to rotate. 45

It may be stated at this point that the clutch mechanism does notnecessarily need to be operated between the receiving pulley and thefeeder rollers. It canbe located as well between the high speed drivingshaft and the expansible pulley. In other words, thestopping-and-starting device, whether it be a clutch, a belt tightener,or other device for this purpose, can be located either before or .afterthe variable speed device, the latter consisting of the expansiblepulley, the receiving pulley, and the V-belt for driving from one to theother.

My invention, therefore, may be conceived in two broad aspects. oneinvolving a constantly rotating expansible pulley with V-belt` andreceiving pulley and a clutch or other stoppingand-starting deviceoperating on the transmission between the receiving pulley and thefeeder rollers; and the other involving transmitting mechanism between ahigh-speed shaft and the expansible pulley on another shaft, with thestopping-and-starting device operating on the transmission at thispoint, whereby to cause the expansible pulley itself and everything thatfollows it to operate or not to operate, as desired.

Of the two, the former is by far the preferred arrangement, and the oneillustrated in the drawings. rI'he second arrangement is notillustrated, as it simply involves a mere different mechanicalarrangement of the same parts for accomplishing the same purpose, whichnot only comes within the scope of my invention, but would be obvious toany skilled mechanic.

Inthe drawings:

. Figure l is an end elevation looking at the right hand end of themachine;

Figure 2 is a similar view looking at the left hand end of the machine;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 the upper portion of the casingbeing in section to show the feed rollers; v

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure land showing amain operating shaft moved to the right to disengage the clutch lmechanism;

Figure 5 is a View similar to vFigure 4, the shaft being moved to theleft to engage the clutch mechanism;

Figure 6 is a sectional View, enlarged, taken on the line 6-6 of Figure5;

Figure 7 is a sectional view, enlarged, of the receiving pulley drivenby the V-belt taken on the line I-T of Figure l;

lFigure 8 is a cross section, enlarged, taken on line 8-f8 of Figure 4;

Figure 9` is `a cross section, enlarged, taken on the line k9- 9 ofFigure 4; A

' Figure 1`0 is a sectional elevation, enlarged, taken on the lineIU-IIl of Figure 1;

Figure 11 is a cross section, enlarged, taken on the line II-II ofFigure 1; y

Figure 12 is a sectional view, enlarged, taken on the line IZA-I2 ofFigure 1;

,A Figure 13 is a sectional detail view, enlarged, taken on the lineI3-I 3 of Figurel; and

Figure 14 is a detailed View yof a conventional expansible pulley.

' Referring now to the drawings the numeral I indicates the casing ofthe machine mounted on supports 2. Suitably mounted in the side walls ofthemachine is a high speed shaft 3 adapted to run at about 100 R.. P.M., on which is mounted an expansible pulley 4. The type of expansiblepulley shown (Figure 14) consists of two sections 4 and 5 with slopingWalls facingeach other to provide between them a seat for the V-belt 5.The section 4 is set-screwed to the shaft, but the section 5 is splinedto the shaft so as to be rotated thereby but at the same time beingcapable of axial movement thereon. The numeral 'I indicates a barrelinside of which is a coil-spring 8 bearing against the section 5 andtending to keep it in contact at all times with the V-belt 6. Thisspring, by reason of the pressure it exerts against the sliding section5, prevents the V-belt from running any deeper in the groove of thepulley than provided for by the setting or adjusting mechanism that willbe described later. The V-belt 6 is received by and drives the receivingpulley 9. This receiving pulley is a conventional type of V-belt sheavemounted on a stud I0, which is journaled in one end of an arm II. Thisarm I'I is provided with a sleeve I2, Figures 1, 4 and 5, by means ofwhich it is pivoted on one end of a shaft I3, intermediate its ends, andat its outer end is pivotally secured at I4 to theupper end of aconnecting rod I5, which in turn is connected at its lower end to alever I6 (Figure 12). This lever IB is set-screwed on the outer end of atube I'I, which is journaled in bearings at I8 and I9 so as to becapable of rotation through slightly more than a quarter of itscircumference. Mounted near the opposite end of the tube II andset-screwed to it is a handle 20, by means` pivots and the receivingpulley 9 is raised. This increases the distance between the centers ofthe receiving pulley 9 and the expansible pulley 4 and causes the V-beltto run deeper in the expansible pulley, which shifts section 5 of saidpulley to the right against the resistance of spring 8 in the barrel 1,thereby decreasing the speed of the receiving pulley 9.

On'the other hand, when the handle 20 is raised the tube I'I and thelever I6 are rotated in an anti-clockwise direction, the connecting rodI5 is moved up, and the'front end of the arm I I, carrying the receivingpulley 9 is depressed. This decreases the distance between the centersof the pulleys and causes the V-belt to run shallower in the expansiblepulley, the sliding section 5 being pushed in toward the section 4 byreason of the tension of the spring in the barrel 'I, thereby increasingthe speed of the receiving pulley 9.

The numeral 2 I', Figure 11, indicates a notched segmental plate 2Iwhich is secured to the end frame 22 of the machine as indicated at 23.Mounted on .the handle 20 is a detent 24, cooperating with the notches25, and operating in the conventional manner to hold the handle 20 andthe tube II fixed in the position to which they have been adjusted. Thenotches are eight in number and are designated by numerals stamped onthe segmental plate, so as to indicate to the operator the position towhich the handle is set, 1 designating the lowest rate of speed, 8 thehighest rate of speed, and the other six numerals the intermediate ratesof speed.

I will now describe the manner in which the power is transmitted fromthe receiving pulley 9 to the feeder rollers 25, which are inside themachine and mounted on the shafts 2'I and 28, which extend in parallelrelation transversely of the machine. I y

Attached to the face of the receiving pulley 9 is a pinion 29 (Figure'7) which meshes with and drives a gear 30. The gear 3D is set-screwedto the shaft I3, near one end of the latter. This shaft extendscompletely through the machine, extending out far enough on the right toreceive not only the gear 30A but also the sleeve I2 of the pivoted armII, and extending far enough at the left to take the transmittingmechanism to be described.

Idling on the left hand end of shaft I3 is a sprocket 3i for driving, bymeans of a chain 32, a sprocket 33 which is set-screwed to a shaft 21 ofthe front feed roller. Just behind this sprocket 33 is a gear 34, alsoset-screwed to the shaft 21, which meshes with a .gear 35 set-screwed tothe shaft 28 of the rear feeder roller. By means of these two gears,both having the same number of teeth, the front feeder shaft causes therear feeder shaft to rotate at the same speed but in the oppositedirection, the two feeder rollers revolving slowly toward each other atthe top, thereby withdrawing the cotton from the distributor hopper,compressing itinto the space between the feeder rollers and feeding itto the extracting and cleaning mechanism below.

What I have described so far pertains to the mechanism for driving thefeeder rollers at varying rates of speed to suit the will of theoperator. I will now describe the mechanism for stopping the feedaltogether. i

Located inside of the tube I1 previously referred to is a shaft 36, onthe front end of which is set-screwed a. handle 31, by means of whichthe shaft 36 can be rotated for slightly more than a quarter of arevolution. On the rear end of this shaft, where it protrudes beyond thetube I1, is set-screwed an arm 38, which in turn is fastened to aconnecting rod 39 (Figures 1 and 12). The upper end of the connectingrod 39 is secured to a lever 40 set-screwed to a shaft 4I journaled insuitable bearings 42 on the end of the machine. On the opposite end ofthe shaft 4I is a rocker arm 43 (Figures 4 and 5) setscrewed to theshaft and provided in its end with a groove 44 for engaging a pin 45.This pin is fastened in the bearing 46 in which the shaft I 3 isjournaled. As the rocker arm 43 is rocked, it engages the pin 45 andcauses the bearing 46 and the shaft I3 to be movedendwise. The bearing43 is mounted in a holder 41 which is in the form of a section of steeltubing welded to the end frame 48 of the machine, and which is slottedas indicated at 4B in Figure 6 to permit the pin 45 to project throughit. The bearing 46 is a bronze bushing adapted to slide endwise as saidbushing and the shaft I3 are shifted to the right or left. A collar 50secured on shaft I3 adjacent the end of bearing 46 causes the shaft I 3to move with the bearing. The bearing 46 is positioned between. the gear30 on the outside (Figures 4 and 5) previously referred to and thecollar 58 on the inside, with result that whenever the bearing itself isshifted in either direction, the shaft I3 has to move with it. Theextent to which the shaft and the bearing shift is, as stated, only thisbeing sumcient to cause engagement or disengagement of the clutchmechanism, to be later described. When the shifting occurs, the V-belt 6inclines away from the vertical at the top, tothe extent of W16, eachWay, corresponding to the total movement of the shaft, as referred'toabove. The clutch mechanism which I employ will now be described, a1-though any other desired form of clutch mechanism could be used, as Ihave previously indicated.

As has already been stated, and as clearly shown in Figures 4 and 5, theshaft I3 extends completely through the machine and projects far enoughbeyond the left hand end of the machine to receive the clutch mechanism.the bronze bearing in which the shaft I3 is journaled at the left handend of the machine. The sprocket 3|, previously referred to, has anextended hub 52, integral with which is a sprocket-shaped clutch member53, shown on an enlarged scale in Figure 9. This assembly is 5 Iindicates bushed at 54 so as to permit it to idle on the shaft I3. Theopposing clutch member 55 is setscrewed to the shaft I3, as shown at 56,so as to turn with it, and is provided with a plurality of pins 51(Figure 8) for engaging the sprocketshaped clutch member 53. When theshaft I3 is shifted to the right, as shown by Figure 5, the pins 51engage the sprocket-shaped member 53, causing it to rotate, and with itthe sprocket 3I, which in turn drives the chain 32 and the feederrollers. On the other hand, when the shaft is shifted to the left, asshown by Figure 4, the pins 51 vand the clutch member 53 disengage, andthe sprocket 3I stops rotating, as do the chain and the feeder rollers.Mounted in a recess in the clutch member 53 and extending into acorresponding recess in the clutch member 55 is a coil spring 53, whichserves the purpose of insuring disengagement of the two clutch memberswhen the shaft I3 is shifted to the left; without this spring, thefloating member 53 would follow the member 55, when the shift is made.

From the foregoing description it will be obvious that when the operatorpulls down on the handle 31, the shaft 36 and the lever 38 are caused torotate, pulling down on the connecting rod 39, actuating the rocker arm43 and causing an endwise shift of the shaft I3 and with it the clutchmember 55, so as to cause its engagement with the other member 53,driving the chain 32 and causing the feed rollers to rotate. On

the other hand, the handle 31 is raised, the operations are in anopposite direction, the clutch mechanism is disengaged, and therotation` of the feeder rollers stops.

Referring to Figures 1 and 13, I have shown a coil-spring 59 connectedat its upper end, as indicated at 6B to the connecting rod I5, near theupper end of the latter, and at its lower-end as indica-ted at 6I to theconnecting rod 39, near the lower end of the latter. This spring isnormally under tension, and operates to assist the downward movement ofconnecting rod I5 and the upward movement of connecting rod 39.

In Figures 1 and 2 I have shown by dotted lines the driving mechanism`for operating the rotating members within the machine. As suchlmechanism is purely conventional consisting as indicated, of beltsrunning over pulleys, it is not considered necessary to describe thesame as, aside from the feeder rollers, the invention is in nowiseconcerned with the mechanism for eX- tracting and cleaning cotton.

I claim:

1. In a feed control device for cotton cleaning and extracting machines,in combination with a pair of feed rollers, a high speed driving shaft,means for rotating said rollers therefrom at a relatively slow rate ofspeed, a unitary adjustable change speed device, manual means foradjusting said change speed device to change at will the speed ofrotation of said rollers, clutch mechanism associated with the feedroller drive, and manual means for operating said clutch mechanism tostop and start the rotationof the feed rollers at will.

2. In a feed control device for cotton cleaning and extracting machines,in combination, a high speed driving shaft and low speed feeder rollers,a spring-controlled expansible driving pulley rotated by the high speedshaft, a receiving pulley, a V-belt operating over the expansible pulleyand said receiving pulley to rotate the latter, manually-operated meansfor moving the receiving pulley toward or from said expansible pulley tovary the effective diameter of the ex pansible pulley so as to increaseor decrease the speed of the receiving pulley, means forl transmittingpower from the receiving pulley to the feeder rollers to rotate thelatter, and a clutch mechanism for throwing the transmitting means intoor out of operation at ythe will of the operator. A Y v Y 3. In a feedcontrol device for cotton cleaning and extracting machines, incombination, a, high speed driving shaft and low speed feeder rollers,an expansible driving pulley rotated by the high speed shaft, an armpivotally mounted on the machine intermediate its ends, a receivingpulley said expansible pulley and receiving pulley .to rotate thelatter,transmitting means for transmitting power from the receiving p-ulley tothe feeder rollers to rotate the latter, and manually operated levermechanism ymounted on the machine for pivoting said arm in one directionor the other to increase or decrease the distance between the centers ofsaid receiving pulley and said expansible pulley for varying theeffective diameter of fthe latter so as to increase or decrease thespeed of the receiving pulley.

4. In a feed control device for cotton cleaning and extracting machines,in combination, a high speed driving shaft and low speed feeder rollers,

.an expansible driving pulley rotated by the high speed shaft, an armpivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the machine, a receivingpulley journaled on one end of said arm, a rod pivotally connected atits upper end to the other end of said 1 arm, a V-belt operating oversaid expansible pulley and said receiving pulley for rotating thelatter, transmitting means for transmittting power from the receivingpulley to the feeder rollers to rotate the latter, a lever pivotallymounted on the machine and pivotally connected to the lower end of saidrod, and means for turning said lever through selected arcs of movementwhereby to raise or lower said receiving pulley and thereby vary theeffective diameter of the expansible pulley to decrease or increase thespeed of the receiving pulley accordingly, and transmitting means fortransmitting power from the receiving pulley to the feeder roll-ers torotate the latter.

5. In a speed control device for cotton cleaning and extractingmachines,` in combination, a high speed driving shaft and lo-w speedfeeder rollers, an expansible driving pulley rotated by the high speedshaft, a receiving pulley, a V-belt operating over said expansiblepulley and said receiving pulley to rotate the latter, a shaft, andmeans for driving the same from said receiving pulley, clutch mechanismmounted on said shaft, one member thereof being fixed to the shaft,driving means associated with the other member of the clutch forrotating the feeder rollers, means for varying the effective diameter ofthe expansible pulley to increase or decrease the speed of the receivingpulley, and manually operated lever mech- .anism for moving said shaftlongitudinally in one direction or the other to engage or disengage themembers of said clutch mechanism to rotate, or stop the rotation of saidfeeder rollers.

6. In a feed control device for cotton cleaning and extracting machines,in combination, a high speed driving shaft and low speed feederrollers,V

an expansible driving pulley rotated by the high speed shaft, an armpivotally mounted on the machine intermediate its ends, a receivingpulley ,journaled onvone end of said arm, a rod pivotally'` connected atits upper end to the other end of said arm, a V-belt operating over saidexpansible pulley and ysaid receiving pulley to rotate the latter, atube journaled on one end of the machine, a lever on said tube forturning it through selected arcs of movement whereby by means of saidrod and-arm to raise or lower the receiving pulley to cause said V-beltto change the effective diameter of said expansible pulley, a transverseshaft and means for rotating the same from said receiving pulley, clutchmechanism mounted on said shaft,

one member of which is secured to the shaft and` the other loose thereonand constituting one element of driving mechanism for rotating saidfeeder rollers, said shaft being movable endWise in either direction inits bearings, a stud on said shaft, a cross shaft having a slottedrocker arm thereon for engaging said stud, a lever on said cross shaft,a shaft journaled in said tube and having a lever at one end, a rodpivotally connected at its lower end to the latter lever and at itsupper end to the lever on said cross shaft, and

a handle for turningthe shaft mounted in the tube to rock said crossshaft and thereby to cause said rocker arm to move said transverse shaftin one direction or the other to engage or disengage the members of saidclutch mechanism whereby to rotate the feeder rollers or to stop theirrotation.

'7. In a feed control device for cotton cleaning and extractingmachines, in combination with a pair of feed rollers, a high speeddriving shaft, means, including a slidable shaft, for rotating saidrollers therefrom at a relatively slow rate of speed, a unitaryadjustable change speed device, manual means for adjusting said changespeed device to change at will the speed of rotation of said rollers,clutch mechanism associated with the feed roller drive, one memberwhereof is mounted on said slidable shaft, and manual means for movingsaid slidable shaft in one direction or the other to engage or disengagethe members of said clutch mechanism to rotate, or stop the rotation ofsaid feed rollers.

8. In a feed control device for cotton cleaning and extracting machines,in combination, a high speed driving shaft and low speed feeder rollers,an expansible driving pulley rotated by the high speed shaft, areceiving pulley having a pinion thereon, a V-belt operating over theexpansible pulley and said receiving pulley to rotate the latter, meansfor varying the effective diameter of the expansible pulley to increaseor decrease the speed of the receiving pulley, a slidable shaft having agear thereon in mesh with said pinion, clutch mechanism mounted on saidslidable shaft, one member whereof is fast, and the other loose thereon,driving mechanism operatively connecting the loose member of said clutchwith said feed rollers and manual means for moving said slidable shaftin one direction or the other to engage or disengage the members of saidclutch mechanism to rotate, or stop the rotation of said feed rollers.

9. In a feed control device for cotton cleaning and extracting machines,in combination, a high speed driving shaft and low speed feeder rollers,an expansible drivingpulley rotatedby the high speed shaft, a receivingpulley, a V-belt operating over the expansible pulley and said receivingpulley to rotate the latter, means for varying the effective diameter ofthe expansible pulley toincrease or decrease the speed of the receivingpulley, means for transmitting power from the receiving pulley to thefeeder rollers to rotate the latter, clutch mechanisms for throwing thetransmitting means pulley adapted to drive the auxiliary shaft, a V-belt operating over the expansible pulley and said receiving pulley torotate the latter, means for varying the eiective diameter of theexpansible pulley so as to increase or decrease the speed of thereceiving pulley and of the auxiliary shaft, means for transmittingpower from the auxiliary shaft to the feeder rollers to rotate thelatter, and separate means for throwing the transmitting means into orout of operation at the will of the opera-tor. l0

ORVILLE lVIITCI-IELL.

